A bit too much of the bad and too little of a good thing ...

0 - 1 hour: "Is that tough and boring I think I must be equal to one times put away the controller for all.."
2. - 11th hour, "That part makes an astonishing amount of mood and obviously a lot right."
12th - 15th hour, "Stop the game really well again on Not again man, I do not want ...?!"

But first things first: Is Epic Mickey (or "Epic Mickey", the German pointed usual is) what for small children?

Brief but clear answer: No.

That does not even have anything to do with the relatively gloomy setting and the fact that Mickey (I stick to the original) including the heart with so fun toys like a chainsaw (and that's no joke) to be removed, but with difficulty.

This is relatively poorly balanced: Total simple, brainless tasks, such as "go out of the house and bring the resident who lives opposite, something over" alternate with tasks in which you are looking for and a small object in a huge area you then after an hour behind any wall will randomly somewhere in a dark corner. Other Puzzles like this, where you have to turn any column by any mechanism in any order to merge fragmented parts of the image again, I still have not understood even after playing through. Thank goodness there is in Epic Mickey at certain points "helpers" (No, not that of Gyro Gearloose), solve the such unpleasant tasks for. However, these helpers must also be found for now. Otherwise you have to yourself by biting (which - as mentioned - not always easy to really is).

In addition, there are points in the game where cavort many opponents, one this eliminates cumbersome, only to dispense the virtual spoon after several minutes and must do everything again from scratch. The selection of the checkpoints was therefore also chosen not always ideal. Wirds Especially toward the end often times unnecessarily annoying.

In principle, the camera should not count for difficulty of a game though, in some games it does so, however. Too Cruel titles like Ninja Gaiden is now Epic Mickey joins added. Too often, the camera jumps straight in battles in little clear, small areas in a more than unfavorable perspective. For lack of overview then just adds the control problem, because control directions depend on the perspective. In other areas, the camera can align beautifully when required by Digi-Cross manually. Only annoying that this at points in the game can not be exactly where it once would really make sense. In many areas the camera is tricky namely fixed and can no longer be rotated.

If you have the first hour of the game survived - in which you will every few seconds interrupted by any evidence and you already want early to pray almost, one should but finally allowed to play in peace - developed Epic Mickey an amazing dynamic that in any case myself could captivate a few hours: There are at most levels a lot to discover, the Jump n Run Game principle is broken up by a kind quest system that shapes the environment by paintbrush and thinner is useless and unnecessary in 99% of cases, but nevertheless makes fun and alone so stories like the fact that you can make enemies into allies, which in turn attack other enemies are, already made really nice. Both of the game mechanics and the setting forth made me Epic Mickey more than once reminiscent of the grandiose Rayman 2. Then, when even pirates happen ...

Did not bother me, however, that Epic Mickey has become bleak. Dark laboratories, poisonous swamps, abandoned fairgrounds ... as you would like to run with this mouse just once over green meadows, through atmospheric forests, lakes landscapes at sunset, a lively, friendly city and I do not know everything. Instead, a level is darker than the other. At almost any place there to mend some broken pipe to turn off a valve or repair a power box. Those who believe at the beginning of the game in 2D level with the Beanstalk that Epic Mickey has to offer more of it later (namely succulent vegetation and a blue sky), you should rather quickly make up the console. Apropo 2D Level: This cute pastime between the actual levels in my opinion is pretty nasty. Fies because I found it most amusing, innovative and loving than the remaining, major part of the game. Conversely, it would therefore have preferred me focus on 2D levels and by me from one or the other 3D level as a bonus in between.

For Sammelwütige there in Epic Mickey diverse sketches, film reels, pins and haste not to collect seen. With two exceptions, the really interesting but not everything: While the game can be two original Walt Disney cartoons free games: one with Mickey Mouse and Oswald. And these are something of awesome - absolutely funny. I pfeiff the many unlockable cutscenes, if only more would have integrated them. Too bad ...

Towards the end of Epic Mickey is again correct fad. The game is artificially protracted, the tasks are repeated constantly and you simply do not patch up any more pipe or a generator and desire to see another, steaming, green marsh. Smaller cutscenes must be angekuckt through a checkpoint unhappy chosen over and over again, camera errors increase, opponents appear too bulky, and so on ...

The resulting significant playing time of over 15 hours, I can not see a positive end. In this case, you could have Epic Mickey tighten. Then there would have been enough to easily 4 stars. So predominates at the end but the impression that Epic Mickey has indeed a whole lot of fun, but was also annoying. Since the end of the initial attacks in almost masterly fashion again ...

From a graphical point of view I want to Epic Mickey write much. It all looks pretty nice. Not less, but also no more. Many textures are really weak, but the game is so designed that all this negative does not jump immediately apparent. In order to come back again at this point to Rayman 2: I would argue that this means while 10 year old game has not then looked bad on the Dreamcast. This is graphics of Epic Mickey is not bad, but in 2010 it is just another usual circumstances ...